On October 19, a wreath laying ceremony was held at the Grace Episcopal Church in Yorktown, VA to honor Gov. Thomas Nelson, Jr. He is known as Yorktown's most famous son. Nelson was a member of the House of Burgesses, the Virginia Provincial Convention, a Delegate to the Continental Congress and is a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

A crowd of approximately 200 people, including many members of the SAR, DAR, CAR and Revolutionary War reenactors, gathered at Nelson's grave for the ceremony which began the 225th Anniversary of the Battle at Yorktown. The ceremony was led by the President of the Virginia Society SAR, James E. Bayne. After the Pledge of Allegiance, President General of the National Society of the SAR, Nathan E. White, Jr., offered a few words, and the Deep River Junior Ancients Fife & Drum Corps of Deep River, Connecticut played a few patriotic tunes.

More than a dozen wreaths were then placed in front of Nelson's grave by various Revolutionary War societies and Thomas P. Nelson, a direct descendant of Gov. Nelson.

Again, the Deep River Junior Ancients Fife & Drum Corps performed a few songs to close out the ceremony and then led a march down to historic Main Street.

Gov. Thomas Nelson, Jr.

Thomas Nelson, Jr. (named "Junior" to distinguish him from his uncle, also named Thomas) was born in 1738, in Yorktown, son of William and Elizabeth (Burwell) Nelson.

Nelson's grandfather (also named Thomas) arrived in Yorktown in 1705 and established a prosperous business as a merchant. William inherited the family business and accumulated much land within the colony of Yorktown. He went on to become a powerful politician, serving as president of the Governor's Council and as acting governor.

William died a few years before the start of the revolution, leaving his business affairs to his son, Thomas. By the outbreak of the war, Nelson was one of the most influential men in the state of Virginia. He served in the Continental Congress during the war and as a brigadier general with the Virginia militia at the Siege of Yorktown. When Thomas Jefferson declined to run for reelection for Governor of Virginia, Nelson succeeded him.

Nelson became ill following the close of the war. On January 4, 1789, at the age of 50, Gov. Thomas Nelson, Jr. died during an asthma attack in Hanover County. He is buried in the town of his birth.